Lighting systems of many different types are known. One very common type of lighting system for office, commercial, light industrial facilities and the like is the well-recognized fluorescent lighting fixture.
Fluorescent fixtures are available in many different types and designs. One commonly used fixture for office, commercial and industrial settings is a 48 inch long tubular bulb mounted in a fixture that accommodates from one to four bulbs. The bulbs can be, for example, of the T5, T8 or T12 designation (T5 is ⅝ inch diameter, T8 is 1 inch diameter and T12 is 1½ inch diameter).
The bulbs, which have two pin type connectors extending from each end, fit into a fixture that includes a pair of sockets for receiving the pins. The sockets are of a size such that they accommodate the pins (and the bulb diameter), without much additional space available.
It will be appreciated that many of these fixtures are quite expensive. There is a considerable amount of material, including support assemblies, reflector surfaces and the like. Many such fixtures, such as troffers are also highly engineered products adding to the cost of the fixture.
While fluorescent lighting has become the standard in many facilities due to the lower energy costs compared to incandescent lighting, there are still drawbacks. One such drawback is the energy cost, especially when compared to currently available light emitting diode (LED) systems. Moreover, the internal components of fluorescent lighting fixtures (e.g., ballasts) can be quite costly and may require periodic replacement.
Some currently known fixtures include reflectors and aesthetic panels that are sized to accommodate a specific size or type of bulb. For example, some fixtures are designed to accommodate a T5 bulb and include an opening in the fixture panels through which only a T5 bulb will fit and a socket that will accommodate only the pins for the T5 bulb.
Accordingly, there is a need for a LED replacement system for known fluorescent lighting systems and fixtures. Desirably, such a replacement system provides at least as much, if not more, light or illumination than the lighting elements that are replaced. More desirably still, such a system allows for installing an LED light element directly into known fluorescent fixtures with minimal modifications to the fluorescent fixture.